Super Bowl 2013: Beyonce attracts a crowd

NEW ORLEANS -- The biggest crowd of Super Bowl week gathered Thursday to listen to one of the few celebrities in town with no history with football.

With dozens of cameras and hundreds of journalists from around the world in attendance, Beyonce performed a stirring rendition of the national anthem and promised a meticulously planned and rehearsed performance during Sunday's halftime show. She also insisted that she will perform live, a contrast to the national anthem that she controversially lip-synced at President Barack Obama's inauguration last week.

Beyonce said she has spent months obsessing over her upcoming performance, which will last 12 minutes and take 7¿1/2 minutes to set up after the 49ers and Baltimore Ravens leave the field.

"When I was driving up (to the Superdome) I got chills," she said. "There's so much history there."

Beyonce was coy when asked if she would be joined onstage by husband Jay-Z or her former partners from Destiny's Child, and she wouldn't reveal any of her song choices.

"Trying to condense a career into 12 minutes was not easy," she said. "All of my songs are like my children."

Earlier Thursday, one of the Ravens was happy to offer his opinion.

"My favorite is 'Check Up On It' or 'Upgrade You,' so definitely one of those," linebacker Terrell Suggs said before breaking into his favorite Beyonce lyrics.